Antipatterns are common solutions to common problems where the solution is ineffective and may result in undesired consequences. An antipattern is different from bad practice when:
- It is a common practice that initially looks like an appropriate solution by ends up having bad consequences that outweigh any benefits
- There’s another solution that is known, repeatable, and effective.
The concept of antipatterns was inspired by the concept of design patterns, which indicate common effective solutions to common problems.
Antipatterns were initially applied in the context of software development, but have extended to other aspects of software engineering, organizations, and project management.
Coaches and consultants like to invoke antipatterns as a way of pointing out behavior they often see in teams they coach and as an avenue of suggesting better patterns.
« Back to Glossary Index